Multiple-disk talking-machine.



BM. cLAsi-:mI MULTIPLE DIASK TALKING MACHINE.'`

APPLICATION FILED DECIO. |913- IPatented. Oct. 16, 1917.

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E. M.. CLASEN. MULTIPLE DISK TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION EILED DEC. I0| 1913- Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

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MULTIPLE DISK TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mep DEc.1o, 1913.

312248,38@ Patented oat. 16,191;

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VIULIIPLE DISK TALKING MACHINE. APPLlcATloN FlLED Dic. io, '1913.

L, v Patented 00h16, 1917.

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MULTlPLE DlSK TALKING MACHINE.

APPucATloN man Dic. 1o, 1913.-

'Lm Patented oef. 16,1917.

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E. M. cLA'sIiN'. MULTIPLE DISK TALKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED I1Ecv. Io.j9I3.V Y n jl /l EMILMILTON CLASEN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MULTIPLE-DISK TALKING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Patentd (Oct. 16, 191 "2.

Application led December 10, 1913. Serial No. 805,672.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL MILTON CLASEN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Disk Talking-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numbers of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Heretofore, although machines employing cylindric records have been arranged to permit a plurality of record cylinders to be continuously and automaticallyoperated in the same machine, it has been diiicult (and deemed impractical) to continuously operate a plurality of flat or disk records in a single machine. In consequence, a considerable interval of time must elapse in such instances after the reproduction of the selection before the played record can be removed, anew record substituted, a reproducing needle changed, and the machine again set in operation. This is objectionable in many instances, as, for instance, when a number `of records are to be used consecu-l tively as in the reproduction of certain operas and other musical productions in which case a marked interval of time elapses during the changing of records, causing an unpleasant break in the performance, which is distinctly distasteful to the hearer.

The object of this invention is to provide a talking machine adapted to receive a magazine of records, as, for instance, an entire opera, lecture, or other selection requiring more than one record for its production and to so construct and arrange the machine and its mechanisms as 'to enable the records to be played one by one and consecutively until the last of theseries has been reproduced and to successively discharge the played records into la receptacle provided for that purpose, thus maintaining substantially the same order as that in which the records were l arranged in the magazine.

It is also an object of the invention to afford mechanism for automatically and quickly shifting the' sound box and arm therefor from the point where the reproduction of the last record was completed to the point for beginning the next succeeding record. A

It is also an object of the invention to afford means for supporting a part of the vrecords in the magazine while the record selected for playing is discharged from the magazine into position for reproduction.

It is an important object of the invention, to-afford meansfor automatically shifting the needles to'automatically present, if de sired, a fresh needle for use on each record and also to provide in amachine of the class described in connection with a magazine of records to be successively played, -a magazine for needles to enable a fresh needle to be employed on each record. The invention contains many novel features and consists in the matters hereinafter described aI'id more fully pointed .out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: l

Figure l is a top plan View of a ydevice embodying my invention, showing the horn in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a slightly reduced section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4L is an enlarged fragmentary top plan View of the reproducing mechanism, table, and record.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

' Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig.- 5.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentarv side elevation of the machine, showing the magazine broken away.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10 is asection on line 10-10 of i the mechanism for operating the tables.

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the same partly broken away and with parts omitted.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged section on line 14-14 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is al section on line 15--15 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the mechanism for varying the rate .of rotation of the disk.`

Fig. 17 is a section taken on line 17-17 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary sectional detail of a part'of the trip mechanism for stopping and returning the sound box and reproducer arm to starting position.

Fig. 19 is a view. in elevation of the same taken in the direction of the arrow 19, on Fig. 18.

Fig. 2O is a fragmentary view in elevation taken' in the direction of the arrow 20, on Fig. 1. p

Fig. 21 is a face view of the reproducer and sound box showing the magazine needle holder in place.

Fig. 22 is an enlarged face view of the magazine needle .holder showing the same detached from the sound box.

Fig. 23 is a section on line 23--23 of Fig. 22.

Fig. 24 is a face viewl of a part of the needle holder.

Fig. 25 is an enlarged side elevation of the shifting device for the needles.

Fig. 26 1s an enlarged detail of the -resilient finger whereby the needlemagazine is shifted to present a new needle.

y 'As shown in the drawings:

The machine comprises the usual or any suitable base consisting preferably of a casing comprising a bottom 1, and side walls 2, which may be of any desired number and form, and rovided in one side with a drawer Y, of sulcient size and depth to hold the entire magazine of records to be played continuously.

Extendin centrally upward in said base,

vand driven'intermittently as hereinafter described, is a spindle 3, which extends through the top 4, of the base or case, and on which is rigidly secured a circular table 5, which rests flat on said top 4, of the case. Said circular table is of a size'to aiford cil cular apertures therethrough, each of a size to receive therein a disk record of the size to be played.

As shown, said top 4, is also provided with an aperture therethrough of a size to permit a record disk to fall into the drawer or compartment Y, as shown in Fig. 2.

Extending upwardly in said base 0r casi ing at a point midway between said central secured the sound box 11, and on which is rotatably secured theneedle magazine hereinafter more fully described. Said arm and sound box may be ofthe usual or any desired construction and are free to be fed from the periphery toward the center of the disk as -is usual by the engagement of the needle i'n therecord groove of the disk. Rigidly secured on said base and supported over the table and in close relation with the rotatable table 5, is a vmagazine holder, 12, which is so positioned on said base that the same will register with one of the apertures in the rotating table when another of said apertures registers with the rotating disk table and the other of said apertures registers with the aperture into th'e drawer.y

Means are provided for simultaneously rotating said table to discharge the played record and to position a record to be played .upon the rotating disk table, and also to support the remaining records in the magav zine while the one to be played is withdrawn `therefrom. For this purpose, as shown,` a motor 13, is provided in said casing pro- -vided, as shown, with a friction disk 14,

said motor with a pinion 22, and a, gear 23,

which are rotative on said shaft but are rigidly secured together.

Secured on the end of said shaft 24, adj acent the motor and meshing with the pinion 21, is a gear wheel 25, and secured on the'.

opposite end of said shaft, and meshing with the gear wheel 23, is a pinion 26. Extending through the frame in advance of said shafts is a shaft 27, having on its end opposite the motor a pinion 28 on the inside of frame plate 20, and a' gear 29 on the outside of frame plate 20, to mesh with the pinion 22, on the shaft 18. Journaled in the frame is a shaft 30, on which is mounted a gear 31, which meshes with the pinion 28, on the frame shaft 27, and is also provided with a gear of smaller diameter 33, which meshes with a gear 34, on a shaft 35,

masses tently, due to engagement of a pin on said disk with said Geneva gear.

As shown, said cam 38, at all times bears against the periphery of said Geneva gear 36, and acts to hold the same except during its brief interval of travel, and as shown,l

said Geneva gear is provided with six radial slots adapted to afford six intermittent movements thereof during each rotation and as shown, also, Secured on theshaft 37, is a cam 39, and pin disk 40, .said disk acting on a six point Geneva gear 41, secured on the shaft 42. Said shaft 42, is provided at its extremity with a bevel pinion 43, which meshes with a corresponding bevel pinion 44, on the intermittently rotatin shaft 3.

The object of the train o Geneva gears before described is to reduce speed 0f rotation of the table 7 to a point sufficiently below the driveof the motor, and inasmuch as said motor drives at approximately two thousand revolutions per minute, it is necessary to employ some reducing mechanism of which a train of gears is probably the most convenient for reducing the rotation ofthe rotating table suiiiciently to permit one movement thereof in about each five minutes that being approximately the time required to reproduce a record such vas those for which the machine is more particularly.

adapted.

On the extremity of the main shaft 18, is a pinion 45, which drives a ear 46, on the shaft of which is a bevel pinion 47, driving a bevel gear 48, which is secured on'the recordtable spindle 6, the relative size 0f the gears and pinion on said shaft 18, and the y gears co-acting therewith to drive said record disks, is j such that at the usual or standard speed of the motor, said record table may rotate at approxlmately 80 revolutions per minute and that continuously to permitl instantaneous reproduction when a record is inserted on the disk table.

j Means are also provided for varying the drive of said shaft 6. For this urpose, as shown, a push 'pin 48a extends t rough he wall of the casing, and if desired, alon a graduated bar or rod outside of the casing, and at its inner end is engaged by any suitable means on the grooved hub 49, of the friction wheel 15, which bears upon the friction wheel 14, of the motor, and which ad-` mits of adjusting the| speed by shifting said friction disk 15, longitudinally of the shaft. Said revolving table 5, is normally held rigidly from rotation, due to the engagement of the aforementioned Geneva gears. As already mentioned, the intermittently driven rotatable table 5, is provided withf'a plurality of circular apertures, three in nurn- Referring to Figs. 1, 8 and 9, it will be seen that a ring or band 49, extends around the outermost lower portion of the magazine l2, and is normally retarded from rotatlonal 'movement thereabout by a spiral pulling spring 50, one end of which is attached'to said ring and the other to said magazine cylinder 12. Pivotally mounted on the exterior of said ring or band 49, are spring actuated pawl members 51, adapted to swing horizontally and each provided at their extremities with a thin, inwardly directed tapered projection 52, adapted to engage between ythe two lowermost of a pile of disks contained within the magazine, when the table 5, is in a position such that one of the apertures therein is in register with. said magazine.

In order to permit the projection of said tapered pawl members into the magazine, said ring 49, and said magazine 12, are provided with aperturesadapted, when the ring is in a certain position, to register with one another and, due tothe impelling force ex` lerted by the springs for each of the respecci'litating removal of the lowermost disk.

As the following aperture in the rotatable table 5, approaches its position of register beneath the magazine 12, a lug 53, properly positioned on said table 5, engages a lug 54, on said ring 49, thus rotating the ring 49, against the tension of its spring 50, such movement of the ring causing retraction of the pawl members 51, inasmuch as the apertures in said ring 49, and said magazine 12, will be moved out of register, and as the aperture in said rotatable table 5, passes in to register beneath the magazine 12, the pile of disks will settle with the lowermost of said disks resting in said aperture.

The movement of the table 5, is so timed, and the lugs 53, so positioned that after the pile of disks has moved downwardly with the lowermost thereof in the aperture in said table, and after the table 5 has begun another shifting movement, the lug 54, will be released by the l-ug 53, .thus permitting the ring 49, to be reversely rotated by its spring 50, into an initial position with the apertures in said ring and magazine in register, thus permitting projection of the pawl members with the thin tapered portions between the two lowermost disks in the pile to permit repetition of the operation already described.

In order to permit rotation of the table 5, beneath the magazine 12, said magazine is supported above said table at three points by means of the outer brackets 55, which are suitably attached to the casing beneath the table 5, and project therearound over the periphery thereof, and the inner bracket 56 which is j ournaled on the upper end of said shaft 3.

The rotatable disk or record playing tabl 7, is recessed into the upper surface of the casing top 4, and is secured to the vertical shaft 6, to be rotated Ithereby. In order that a record be played, it is necessary that the records be transferred from the magazine, as already described, and then carried by said table l5, to the rotatable playing table 7. The latter table being mounted below the rotatable table 5, and the table 5, coming vto rest with an aperture therein directly in register with said playing table7, the disk to be played is properly centered on said table 7, due to the registering of said table 7, and the aperture in the table 5.

Inasmuch as the initial point on the record is near the outer periphery thereof, it becomes necessary to move the reproducer arm and needle carrying means to the outer periphery of the record to be played, and such movement is effected simultaneously with the positioning of the record upon the record table.

For the purpose of swinging the reproducer arm 9, into initial position a plurality of uprights 9a, three in number, are mounted on the rotatable disk 5, one adjacent each of the apertures therein. An arm 9", is pivoted on the upper end of each of said uprights to contact the arm 9, and a weak spring 9, serves to hold said lever normally in contacting position. Accordingly when the disk 5,

rotates, the reproducer arm is contacted by one of said arms (9", and thus moved into initial position. When the arm has been stopped by means hereinafter described the arm 9b, is swung downwardly against the l impulse of the weak spring 9,allowing the upright and lever to pass beneath the arm 9.

Also coincident with the movement of the reproducer mechanism from the inner to the outer portion of the record, the needle must be raised from the disk, and then lowered again, as well as a new needle brought into position to play the record. The mechanism for effecting such a series of operations comprises a lever 57 which is piv- Oted at the joint between the reproducer arm and the goose neck, and enga es beneath the needle carrying end of the atter to raise and lower the same at` the proper time. In order that the needle may be raised from the record prior to and during the movement of the needle to the outer portion of the record, said lever 57', is provided with an arcshaped extended wing portion 58. A bell crank is pivotally mounted on` the edge of the casing with one arm 59, thereof projecting upwardly and adapted to engage over the margin of said extended wing portion 58, and with the other arm 60, thereof engaging upwardly beneath the under surface of said table 5, so spaced and-positioned relatively to the apertures in said table 5, that said arm 60, will engage upwardly in a groove when it is desired that the needle be lowered into playing position, but said grooves are of such a length that at other times when it is desired that the needle be raised, as, for instance, more particularly when the needle carrying arm yis being moved transversely across the playing disk into initial position, the arm 60, will bear on the flat ungrooved under surface of the table 5, thus depressing said arm 60, and also the upper portion of said arm 59. Such downward movement of the arm 59, against the extended arc-shaped wing portion 58, will cause the lever 57, to be rotated about its pivot point a small amount suliicient to elevate the needle carrying mechanism out of contact with the record.

The purpose of making the wing portion 58, arc-shaped and of a relatively long length is to insure engagement thereof with j said lever 59, during the pivotal movement of the reproducing means across the record. When the reproducing arm and needle carrying mechanism have reached the limit of movement or initial position, the arm 9, is stopped in its movement by a spring pressed element 61, attached' to the bracket 62. Of course the grooves in the undersurface of said table are of such a length that as the reproducing mechanism reaches its limit of movementthe arm 60, ,will move upwardly into a groove,vthus permitting elevation of the arm 59', .andI a lowering of the needle carrying mechanism. It is also desirable that as the arm moves into its initial-position that a new needle be substituted for the old one, and this comprises a structure I will now proceed to describe.

Referring to Figs. 2l 'to 26 inclusive it will be noted that in place of the usual single needle support attached to the diaphragm that the needle support comprises a radially apertured element 63, which is journaled on a stud shaft 64, secured in a stylus bar 65. Mounted on said radially apertured element 63, is a clamping nut 67. As I have shown the device it s capable of :laisses carrying about eight needles, and in order to properly mount the same, the clampin nut 67, is loosened and the needles insert until they strike the stud shaft 64, after which `the nut 67, is tightened and the needles are thereby retained securely therein. Of course, the element 63, is freely rotatable upon the stud shaft 64, and in order to maintain the same in a predetermined position for playing a record a spiral pushing spring 68, is wound around the outer end of said stud shaft, and bears at one of its ends against the hub of the element 63, and at its othen end against a washer 69, retained in position b a nut 70, threaded on the end of said stu shaft. .The inner face of said element 63, which abuts against the bar 65, is provided with a plurality of indents, and a pin 71, is secured in said arm 2o 65, and serves to engage said indents in the element 63, due to the longitudinal movement allowed the same by the compression spring 68.

As the reproducing mechanism is swung into initial position the lowermost needle, or that which has been used for playing the last record, strikes a pivoted spring thrust pawl 72, pivoted on an inturned extension of the bracket 62, thus causing rotation of the needle carrying mechanism, and introducing a new needle into position. When the record is played, and as the reproducing mechanism moves inwardly over the record, the pawl 72, of course is easily thrust aside and as the reproducing mechanism passes therepast the pawl returns to a position to repeat the operation already described.

Of course, after the record has been played the driving mechanism being timed, properly, the intermittent drive for said rotatable table 5, rotates the table 5, thus sweeping the record from the playing table 7, and carrying the same around over the aperture in the casing top 4, and dropping the record into the compartment or drawer already mentioned.

The operation is as follows: Assuming `the magazine 12, to be completely filled with records the motor is switched on and the intermittent drive for the rotatable table 5, coming into operation, will cause the table 5, to rotate and carry therewith the lowermost of the pile of disks lfrom the magazine 12, to a position over the rotatable playing table 7, and the drive for said table 5, being correctly timed, the aperture in saidtable 5, will move into-exact register with the playing table 7, thus centering the record to be played thereon. With such movement of the table 5, provided the reproducing arm is not already in its extreme or initial playing position, the reproducing mechanism will be moved to its limit of movement, and on approaching the limit of ,such movement, of course the rotatable needle mechanism will be contacted by the pawl 72, thus rotating a new needle into playing position.

f Also the arm 60, moving into a properly disposed groove in the under surface of the table 5, will cause lowering of the needle mechanism into playing position, and the playing table 7, rotating as it does, continuously, the record will be immediately played. On completion of the playing the intermittent drive for the table 5, being so timed, the table will rotate, thus causing an elevation of the needle carrying mechanism, and transferring the played disk over the aperture in the table top 4, to cause the disk to drop into the drawer for the purpose, and another of the apertures in said carrying table 5, will transfer the lowermost of the pile of disks in the magazine 12, to the playing table in the same manner already described in connection with the record first played.

The number of needles carried on the needle carrying mechanism if desired may be of a number to play a number of disks equal to that capable of being contained in the magazine 12, or a permanent needle may be connected on the device, and the needle carrying magazine dispensed with, and, also of course the mechanism for causing rotation of the needle carrying mechanism.

I am aware that various details of the invention may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles.

l therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a record magazine, carrying means having pockets therein adapted to carry a record therein, a rotatable playing table adapted to receive said records thereon, reproducing mechanism including needle mechanism, means moving and lowering the reproducing 3W mechanism into position on said record to play the same, mechanism governing said needle mechanism, mechanism causing rotation of`said carrying means, and a receiving compartment for the records played.

2. In a device of the-'class described a magazine for holding records, horizontally rotating apertured carrying mechanism adapted to transfer the lowermost of said records therefrom, a rotating playing table adapted to receive said records thereon, needle mechanism, means moving and lowering said needle mechanism into proper playing position on said record, and a compartment to receive the records after the same are played.

3. In a device of the class described a casing, a rotatable apertured table'on the top thereof, intermittently driven mechanism Qbelo'w said apertured table, and means per- `mitting the transfer' of records from the magazine to the playing table and from the playing table to the receiving compartment.

4. In a device of the class described a magazine for records, a carrying table adapted to rotate therebeneath, means adapted to be actuated by said carrying table, to support all but the lowermost of said pile of records during the transfer by said carrying table of said lowermost record from said magazine, a rotating table adapted to receive said record thereon, reproducing means adapted to play said record, means associated with said carrying table to operate the reproducing means into initial position, and a compartment to receive the records transferred from said playing table after the record is played.

5. In a device of the class described a casing, intermittently driven mechanism therein, a rotatable table mounted on said casing, a magazine mounted above said rotatable table and adapted to receive a pluralityof :records piled horizontally therein, means associated with said magazine to support all but the lowermost of said pile of records, means associated with said rotatablel table to transfer said lowermost record from the magazine, a rotating playing table mounted below said rotating carrying` table, to receive the record to be played thereon, reproducing mechanism mounted adjacent thereto, means associated with said carrying table for actuating said reproducing mechanism into initial and playing position, and means permitting transfer of the record after the same is played, and a compartment to receive the same.

6. In a device of `the class described a magazine for records, a playing table therefor, a receiving compartment for played records, and a rotatable apertured mechanism above said playing table for transferring a record from one to the other of said elements in proper sequence.

7|. In a device of the class described a horizontally rotatable apertured record Carrying table, a horizontally rotatable playing table below said carrying table, a record magazine above said carrying table, a receivingcompartment below said carrying table adapted to receive records therefrom, and driving mechanisms for each of said tables.

In a device kof the class described an apertured carrying table, a record playing table therebeneath, a magazine for records above said carrying table, and a receiving compartment below said carryin table.

9. In adevice of the class escribed a continuously rotating playing table, an intermittently driven apertured transfer table, amagazine for records above said transfer table, a receiving compartment below said transfer table and a common driving mechanism for both of said tables.

10. In a device of the class described a playing table, a magazine for records, a receiving compartment and an apertured carrying table adapted when at rest to register with each of said elements.

11. In adevice of thel class described the ycombination of a casing, an apertured top thereon, a receiving compartment therein,

a record playing table above said top, apertured carrying means above said top and table, said top adapted to support a record engaged in one of the apertures of said carrying means, said record being deposited in said compartment when the apertures 'n said top and carrying means are opposite one another, and mechanism within said casing for operating said table and carrying means.

l2. In a device of the class described a playing table, a magazine for records, record releasing mechanism on said magazine, a carrying table below said magazine having a plurality of apertures therein, and a receiving compartment, said carrying table adapted to simultaneously operate said record releasing mechanism to deposit a record from said magazlne on sald carrylng table' and carry the same to the' laying tab and transfer a played record fiom said playing table to said compartment. t

13. In a device of the class described the combination of an apertured transfer table, a record playing table therebeneath, a magazine for recordsabove said transfer table, and a receiving compartment below said transfer'table, of reproducing means associated with said playing table, adapted to play the records thereon.

14. In a record playing machine of the class described a record container, a record playing table, and pocketed means adapted to be rotated for sweeping records from sad container to playing position upon said ta e.

15. In a record playing machine of the class described a record playing table, a record receiving compartment, and revolving apertured means adapted to engage and sweep records from said table to a discharge position within said compartment.

16. In a record playing `machine of the class described a record container, a record receiving compartment, a record playing table, and rotatable means adapted for sinaaee multaneously sweeping a recomi from said container and table to said table and receiving compartment respectively.

17. In a record playing machine of the.

class described horizontally rotatable pocketed means adapted for simultaneously sweeping records to and from playing position.

18. In a record playing machine of the class described rotatable means adapted for simultaneously sweeping records to and from playing position.

19. In a record 'playing machine of the class `described apertu'red mechanism rotatably mounted for automatically engaging and changing the records.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EL MiLToN QLASEN.

Witnesses:

CHAnms W. HILLS, Jr., FRANK K. HUDSON. 

